Sick of my rants yet?
I’ve droned on and on about the fact that your job is to make your donors feel good and to facilitate the exchange of dollars for value. And, of course, value is in the eye of the beholder (the donor’s eyes).

But what I haven’t included much in my list of “feel goods” is “meaning.”
Your major donors and planned givers desperately want to find meaning in their lives. That’s why they sought you out. That’s why they engaged. And, that’s why they will consider giving.
It’s not only because giving makes them feel good in one way or another. It’s not only about the fact that giving can make them feel happy. After all, happiness is temporary.

That’s why supporters don’t necessarily want to be happier. Rather, they want to find meaning in their lives. They want to feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

It was right there in front of my face all this time.
But it hadn’t dawned on me that your supporters’ quest for meaning is, in fact, a major motivator. But then, recently, I stumbled on new research that shows that the pursuit of happiness actually negatively affects one’s well-being over time while the pursuit of meaning makes people feel more “enriched,” “inspired,” and “part of something greater than themselves.”

So, what are you doing to help your supporters find meaning in their lives?
Figure that out and I bet you’ll raise more money, faster.

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